1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector for connecting a portable information processor, such as a notebook PC to a CD-ROM, such as an expansion hard disk.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese patent application Kokai No. 2000-36355 discloses such an electrical connector. As FIGS. 10 and 11 show, the electrical connector consists of a receptacle 51 and a detachable plug 60 to be plugged in the receptacle 51. The receptacle 51 is mounted on a printed circuit board 53 that has an opening for receiving the plug 60. A pair of guide apertures 52 are provided in the PCB 53 on opposite sides of the receptacle 51. An opening 56 is provided in the bottom wall of a case 55 for a portable information processor. A pair of shutter members 57 and 58 are pivoted to the case 55 to cover the opening 56 so as to prevent dust and dirt from entering the case 55. The PCB 53 with the receptacle 51 is provided in the case 55 such that the plug insertion opening is aligned with the opening 56 and the plug fitting section of the receptacle 51 is closed by the shutter members 57 and 58.
In FIG. 11, the plug 60 is mounted on a case 61 of DC-ROM. A pair of separate guide pins 62 are provided on the case on opposite sides of the plug 60. To connect the portable information processor to the CD-ROM, the portable information processor is brought over the DC-ROM such that the guide pins 62 are inserted into the guide apertures 52 to abut against the inside edges 57a and 58a of the shutter members 57 and 58, rotating outwardly the shutter members 57 and 58 to open the plug fitting section of the receptacle 51. Then, the plug 60 is fitted in the plug fitting section of the receptacle 51, bringing the signal terminals of the receptacle 51 into contact with the signal terminals of the plug 60, thus connecting the receptacle 51 and the plug 60.
To disconnect the portable information processor from the DC-ROM, the portable information processor is lifted from the DC-ROM so that the guide pins 62 come out of the guide apertures 52, and the plug 60 comes out of the plug fitting section of the receptacle 51, disconnecting the signal terminals of both the connectors 51 and 60. The shutter members 57 and 58 rotate inwardly to cover the plug fitting section of the receptacle 51.
However, in the above multi-pole connector, the receptacle 51 and the shutter members 57 and 58 are separated, and the opening of the PCB 53 must be aligned with the opening 56 so that the plug fitting section of the receptacle 51 is covered by the shutter members 57 and 58. If the shutter members 57 and 58 are moved even slightly, they suffer malfunction, preventing the connection between the receptacle 51 and the plug 60.
In addition, the guide pins 62 for opening the shutter members 57 and 58 is a separate member from the plug 60 and is attached to the case 61 of CD-ROM so that the length L1 between the guide pins 62 is greater than the length L2 of the plug 60, increasing the size and the number of components for the shutter members 57 and 58 and the shutter mechanism including the guide pins 62, making the shutter mechanism complicated.